Playground Accessibility

Playing on the playground is a fun and important part of a child’s life. It’s a place where they can relieve stress, let their imagination flow, and learn to interact with other children. But not everyone has the same access to enjoying playground equipment.

  • What would your childhood have looked like if you’d never had the opportunity to play at a playground? How might that have affected you as a young person?
  • How does playground fun happen for a child that has physical or other disabilities if it’s not accessible? The simple answer is - it doesn’t.

A playground is considered a public place, so full accessibility should be a must. In my view, every child with a disability should be able to enter these facilities with ease. Ideally, play spaces should have multiple access points and ramps, be welcoming to service animals, and feature a restroom close by with helpful equipment, like a universal changing table. In the past, these kinds of accessible playground features weren’t even considered, but now they are becoming reality!

Last week, I paid a visit to Gentile Nature Park in Kettering, Ohio. Their accessibility features were on point! Here are a few of my favorite features:

  • Let’s start with the beautiful, paved path. For people who rely on adaptable equipment for mobility, this paved path is for you! The ease of rolling around and being in nature is cool. I was rolling on the path like I was NASCAR driver! The surface was so smooth and felt very safe and comfortable on my stroll.

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  • Next, I discovered cool, accessible playground equipment. One trampoline-like contraption was designed to allow any person to get their bounce on! It was super wide so that a child who uses crutches, walkers or a mobility device could transfer with ease and sit safely and have fun bouncing.

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  • There was also a swing set with three swings. One was lower to the ground, circular, and had supportive netting for kids who need a little extra support.

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I really enjoyed exploring the park and was impressed that the accessible playground equipment was included amongst the standard equipment. It gave me the sense that all were welcome and that children who need additional support would be included in all the playground fun.


After seeing the cool accessibility features at Gentile Nature Park, I plan to visit others in the area to see what they have to offer. My inner child loves kicking it at the playground!